Day 3 in Blowing Rock

I have been snowed under with work since I got back from Blowing Rock, so I haven't been updating the blog. I'm way behind. Of course, I find time to get on Pinterest and waste plenty of time.

I loved our trip to Blowing Rock and being able to visit with friends. I think I left my heart there. Do you ever feel like you belong somewhere else and it's just a dream...that's how I feel about the mountains. I want to be there all the time. I don't necessarily have to be in North Carolina, could be Georgia or Tennessee or Virginia. I do love the high elevation of Blowing Rock and the surrounding area. It makes the air so cool and I'd love that in the summertime and fall. What's funny is that I don't like driving in the mountains and I'm scared of fog (really scared to drive in fog.) And don't know how to drive in snow. So I'm probably better off where I am here in Florida where there is no snow and no mountain steep roads or driveways.

Kristie's driveway is steep and it's heading downhill to the house. Aunt Sue pulled in and decided she wanted to turn around and face the other way so it would be easier to get out going back up the steep hill. Well, there were a lot of cars parked already in the driveway so space was at a premium. Well, one of the wheels went off the pavement and did not touch the ground and there was no traction. The bigger problem was that Pam's car was right where we were heading since we didn't have traction and gravity was just going to win this problem. So Pam had to come move her car. But Kristie's husband saved the day by figuring out how to get us out of that mess. I'm so thankful no one's car got hit! Aunt Sue said she will not park in the driveway again.

This is Sunday morning. We all got together for a picture before setting out for the day.

Shanny, who was with us on the trip, is a regular visitor to Valle Crucis where her stepdad has an old family home. She took us to see it. It was amazing to be inside the home and see the old picture and the way the house was made. There is no heat or air conditioning. But the wood floors were so pretty. The home is really lovely. I liked how big the rooms were. There may or may not be a ghost there. I'm afraid I won't be able to spend the night in the house because of the ghost story...I'm telling you, I'm scared like that.
Sitting on the porch at Shanny's family house in Valle Crucis.

The porch in front of the house.

This is the original Mast General Store in Valle Crucis. It is something to see on the inside. So many old things and old pictures in there to see. And lots of really neat merchandise. There were a lot of cute cast iron cooking items in there. They had so many different things for sale in there. I guess back in the day before there was much transportation, this place was the place to go to for your needs. And the annex store down the street a little bit has barrels of candy and old fashioned toys. I would like to spend more time there if I ever make it back up to Valle Crucis.


This is Shanny's place. It's across the street from the Mast store. Her stepdad is part of the Mast family. I don't think the Mast family still owns the store.
When we left Valle Crucis, we came back to Kristie's and did some crafting or sitting on the deck. I made paninis for dinner with Kristie's help. I love her kitchen. I love the window in her kitchen that looks out at the pretty side yard and patio. I don't have any pictures of the paninis.

While we were cooking dinner, Kristie's hubby was building a fire. This was absolutely the best evening! I haven't had that much fun in along time. He had these buckets of sticks and little logs. He used the grill for a firepit. I thought it made a nice firepit.
Here he is cooking a smores over the fire. He had a wood plank (something that Kristie's granddad had made, I think.) He made the smores with ginger cookies and chocolate peanut butter candy and marshmallows. It was funny to see the marshmallows being cooking on these little sticks.
We all laughed and laughed this evening. We heard coyotes howling. It was cold out there, too.
Close up of the smores.
The wind was blowing and the smoke had to go somewhere. So Punchy was trying to keep it out of her eyes and nose.
The firepit/BBQ grill.
I really enjoyed this day so much. Going to Valle Crucis was something I have always wanted to do and the rest of the day with friends and evening out by the fire and the cool air was something I will always remember.